Adjustable induced draft barbecue lighter with fuelsaver hood



Feb. 2, 1965 F. w. ARNOLD 3,168,062

ADJUSTABLE INDUCED DRAFT BARBECUE LIGHTER WITH FUELSAVER HOOD Filed Jan. 11, 1963 f7 ifz INVENTOR. HIDE W65 M Alf/V0.62?

United States Patent 4 Ofiice 3,168,352 ?atented Feb. 2., 1965 3,168,062 ADJUSTABLE KNDUCED DRAFT BARBECUE LIGHTER WITH FUELSAVER H001) rederick W. Arnold, 1525 NE. 30th Court,

Pompano Beach, Fla. Filed Sam. 11, 1963, fier. No. 255L820 5 Claims. (Cl. fill-1) This invention relates generally to out-of-doors cooking and more particularly to means for controlling fires therefore.

It is well known that when barbecuing, it is difiicult starting and obtaining a hot fire, and is a very slow and tedious task. By the time all the coals are substantially full glowing, many have turned to ashes. When the fire has been used, later use cannot be had because the embers burn rapidly and uncontrolled.

Because of the foregoing, some out-of-doors stoves have been made with draft doors and dampers which have met with only limited success and added substantially to the cost of such equipment.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide means for control of a fire used for out-of-doors cooking.

Another object of this invention is to provide the aforementioned means which retards burning of glowing coals when the fire is not being used.

Still another object of this invention is to provide the aforementioned device capable of quenching glowing coals to save half burned coals after use.

And still another object of the invention is to provide the aforementioned device which is an enhancement for starting a fire for out-of-doors cooking.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more fully understood by those skilled in the art by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device made in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, a novel fire control device has a tubular base 11 which is placed to encircle a fire which is laid but not ignited. The base 10 has an open bottom end with a surface 12 which rests on the surface on which the fire is laid, and an open top end with a surface 13 for supporting a cover 20.

A threaded member 14 extends outwardly from the base 11 and is connected thereto at a point spaced from end surfaces 12 and 13. Member 14 may be a bolt as shown which is locked in place by a lock washer 19. An angularly disposed leg 15 has a slot near its top end and a pad portion 17 at its other end. The top end of leg 15 is held against nut lock washer 19 by a nut 13, preferably winged, threaded on member 14 which extends through slot 16. Pad 17 contacts the surface on which the fire is laid. By rotating nut 18, it moves along member 14 causing leg 15 to move toward base 11 which assumes a more vertical position lifting base 12 angularly up off the surface on which it stands to provide a draft opening therebetween.

Cover 20 has a handle 21 for carrying the novel device and an annular flange 22 that encircles the upper portion of base 11 and is spaced therefrom to provide an annular path 23 therebetween. The top surface 13 and/or the bottom of cover 21B may be irregular as at 24 so there is not a seal when the cover 20 is on the base 11.

By raising the base 11 with leg 15 as described above and removing cover 2'9, a draft upwardly through a laid fire will be created so kindling K of the fire when lit Will start coals C thereupon to light. Such a forced draft will permit quicker and more efiicient lighting. By replacing the cover 20, the forced draft will be blocked while sufiicient air is provided for maintaining the glowing embers, which may be further controlled by repositioning the base 11 with leg 15.

To quench the fire, nut 18 is rotated oppositely to release leg 15 permitting base 11 to reseat and close the draft entrance. Heat along the outside of base 11 causes heated air to rise in the annular passage 23 to block any air flow within the base 11. Thus, oxygen of the air in base 11 will be consumed and the remaining air will not support burning. By rotating leg 17 upwardly, it can be used as a clamp by tightening the nut 18 toward base 11 to clamp cover 20 so the base 11 and cover 20 may be carried as a unit by handle 21.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fire control device comprising a tubular base for encircling a fire and being open at its bottom and at its top, said base having a bottom surface for contacting a surface on which a fire is laid and forming therewith when inclined a draft inlet controlled by the relative angular position of said bottom surface to such fire supporting surface, a leg angularly disposed relative to said base exteriorly thereof and movably connected thereto adjacent its upper end, said leg having a bottom pad for engaging said fire supporting surface upon which said base is dis posed, and adjustable means providing the connection of said leg to said base having cooperating threaded members for adjusting the relative position of said leg to said base whereby to angularly raise or lower the side of the base and its corresponding bottom surface portion adjacent to said leg to incline the same and to thereby adjust the draft inlet opening.

2. The fire control device in accordance with claim 1, and having a cover disposed on the top of said base to restrict the exit draft from said base, said cover having an annular flange encircling the upper portion of said base and being spaced therefrom to provide an annular passage for receiving the rising heated aid adjacent the outside of said base whereby to block exhausting draft from said base when the draft inlet is substantially closed to thereby eifect a blocking of the airflow through said base in order to quench a fire encircled by said base.

3. The fire control device in accordance Wtih claim 2, wherein said leg is rotatable adjacent said cover, said connecting means being adjustable to move the leg into clamping engagement with said cover to prevent removal from said base, and said cover having a handle to be gripped for carrying said cover and base as a unit when clamped together.

4. The fire control device in accordance with claim 3,

' wherein said leg has a slot adjacent its upper end and said adjusting means comprises an elongated threaded member fixed to said base and extending through said slot, and a threaded nut member on said elongated threaded member and movable axially thereon when rotated to adjust said leg.

5. The fire control device in accordance with claim 4, and a nut lock washer threaded on to said elongated threaded member into engagement with said base for fixedly holding said elongated threaded member thereon and for providing a bearing surface for the upper end of said leg.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Miller June 12, 1923 Fishback Oct. 31, 1933 Scheu Apr. 10, 1934' Owens Jan. 9, 1940 Anderson Nov. 23, 1943 Vincent Mar. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1908 Germany Oct. 4, 1932 

1. A FIRE CONTROL DEVICE COMPRISING A TUBULAR BASE FOR ENCIRCLING A FIRE AND BEING OPEN AT ITS BOTTOM AND AT ITS TOP, SAID BASE HAVING A BOTTOM SURFACE FOR CONTACTING A SURFACE ON WHICH A FIRE IS LAID AND FORMING THEREWITH WHEN INCLINED A DRAFT INLET CONTROLLED BY THE RELATIVE ANGULAR POSITION OF SAID BOTTOM SURFACE TO SUCH FIRE SUPPORTING SURFACE, A LEG ANGULARLY DISPOSED RELATIVE TO SAID BASE EXTERIORLY THEREOF AND MOVABLY CONNECTED THERETO ADJACENT ITS UPPER END, SAID LEG HAVING A BOTTOM PAD FOR ENGAGING SAID FIRE SUPPORTING SURFACE UPON WHICH SAID BASE IS DISPOSED, AND ADJUSTABLE MEANS PROVIDING THE CONNECTION OF SAID LEG TO SAID BASE HAVING COOPERATING THREADED MEMBERS FOR ADJUSTING THE RELATIVE POSITION OF SAID LEG TO SAID BASE WHEREBY TO ANGULARLY RAISE OR LOWER THE SIDE OF THE BASE AND ITS CORRESPONDING BOTTOM SURFACE PORTION ADJACENT TO SAID LEG TO INCLINE THE SAME AND TO THEREBY ADJUST THE DRAFT INLET OPENING. 